


From a Young Age

by Mrs_Don_Draper (orphan_account)



Series: Father, Son, and Mother [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Broken Families, Child Abuse, Dysfunctional Family, Familial Abuse, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-27
Updated: 2013-07-27
Packaged: 2017-12-21 12:42:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/900458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Mrs_Don_Draper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A glimpse into Tony's childhood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From a Young Age

From a young age, Tony was close with his mother. Some of his fondest memories were spent with her out on their gigantic patio, sipping lemonade and coloring the gray cement with colorful sidewalk chalk. Tony's mother, Maria, noticed that Tony was different from other children. He quickly learned how to draw smooth, careful lines that eventually turned into distinct shapes and figures. There was no hesitant guessing when it came to Tony's artwork. When he told her he had painted a picture of a bird in a tree, there was no doubting that it was as he had said. When he used crayons and pencils to draw his favorite superhero—Captain America—it was certainly a picture of Steve Rogers. And while Maria was more than pleased to promote her child's artistic abilities, his affinity towards the Captain was worrisome. She knew how obsessive her husband was over the man. The man lost God knew where. So when Tony came to her with a poster he had made in school depicting him and Captain America at a baseball game, she was troubled.

“It's lovely, honey. Why don't you go hang it up in your room? I'll be up there in a moment. The tape is in the art closet where you left it last.”

With a quick kiss to his mother's cheek, he bounded off in the direction of the art closet while she made her way to her husband's study. The room always gave her the chills. It was not a welcoming room, especially when her husband was inside. She knocks quietly, biting her lip and almost hoping that he was too busy to speak with her.

“Howard?”

“Come in.” She opens the door carefully. “Yes, what is it, Maria? Has that boy been getting into trouble again. I heard about what he did to Mrs. Kislevski's glasses.”

Maria frowns at his immediately harsh words.

“'That boy' is your son, Howard. He has a name, as you might recall. And he's in trouble, but not the kind you think. And he apologized to Magda last week; you know that.”

Howard puts down his red pen and copy of _The New York Times_ , and actually looks his wife in the eye.

“So what has he done?”

“He made another Captain America poster. I'm worried his interest will turn into something less like a role model and more like an obsession.”

Howard sighs at his wife's obvious jab at his life's work. Creating Captain America was no small feat. Of course Tony would be obsessed; he was only being proud of his father. That was what young children, especially boys thought of their parents. He thanks God again for giving him a son on the first try. He would have had no idea what to do with a girl. And anyway, Tony was more than a handful alone. He required discipline. Howard would show him who was in charge around here. It certainly wasn't Maria.

As the seconds tick by, Maria realizes that she has lost her husband to his ruminating yet again. She isn't surprised that he is ignoring her, but she has hoped that since she was coming to him with news of Tony that he would care at least a little bit. Apparently that wasn't the case.

“Can you at least pretend that you're listening to me?” she asks wearily. “Don't you care about your son at all?”

Shaken out of his reverie, Howard replies, “No. You both disrupt my work. If my father hadn't written in his will that I would have to produce a Stark heir or lost my inheritance, you and Tony would not be here. I'd be able to work without the two of you nagging at me so incessantly. Is that the answer you wanted?”

Filled with fresh rage, Maria walks out and slams the door behind her. It is a satisfying sound, but she knows she will have to pay for it later. They both will pay eventually.


End file.
